The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-03-09
A TRIP TO THE SOUTH.
Eprron True Nosrnrnsra:-


aud something of the country, climate and
disposition of oar reconstructed friends III
that part of the South visited by me.
left Chicago ON Thursday evening with
large party of excursiOnists from Chicago
and our journey for two days was rather an
uneventful one until We reached Hammond,
Louisiana, where, through the courtesy OF
| the railroad officials, we remained two hours
to enable US to look about. Here large
colony of northern men are located, really IN
delightful country, and who are always
more than pleased 10 greet northern men
and their families and point out to them the
many advantages of their locality, with the
hope of inducing them, as settlers, To locate.
A large hotel aud sanitarlur are erected
here, well flied with invaids from the North
and with whom, particularly those afflicted
with pulmonary complaints, the climate
works wonders in invigorating and healing;
much Superior it is claimed, to that of
any part of Florida. Aud it Is indeed a won
derfnl climate, and you can we'll imagine
how striking To me was the transition from
our snow and rigorous winter to this land of
| balmy summer, where little "nigger" boys
solicit You To purchase bouquets as large as
your head for two bits, with roses Of every
hue in blossom OH either hand. fruit and
early vegetables plentiful, and the mercury
At figure that rendered the wearing even of
"A summer overcoat burdensome.
/ was more than amused 10 observe, in
front of the hotel, chained To a post, "a large
black bear, which had evidently been brought
there by some enthusiastic but mistaken
emigrant from the north, and which warl-
up and down within the limits Of bis cham,
as forlorn, sweaty and miserable All object,
III his shaggy coat. would DO o baker at
l. -. L.
coat. About forty or fifty families have here
pleasant homes, and they cordially invite
any northern man ON journey to the South
to stop over train anu make them visit
and, my word for 1t. he will be most enthusi-
astically received and royalty entertained
The same evening we arrived AT New
Orleans and. as most of your readers are
familiar with the description of the Crescent
City, detailed account would be superfluous.
l WAS disappointed III 1t beyond measure.
had thought to See city somewhat like our
Detroit or Chicago and rivaling northern
cities either III architectural beauty, situation
or natural advantages, but l found nothing
of tho kind. Instead, a most dilapIdated.
dirty and worn-eaten old rene, seemingly in
the last stages of decay and abandonment.
and with an utter absence, almost, OF all that
push, enterprise and Yankee rustic that we
OF the north take so much pride IN, and
almost believe liz the Indispensable prerequis
lite for the stability, growth and prosperity
Of any city.
The buildings are tumble-dowu, old, wood
en- affairs, without paint and repairs, some of
them hardly habitable, especially many used
as private residences, decay Ell and neglected;
although, Of course, there are many fairly
tine private establishments, decently Well
kept a. regards exteriors and the grounds
adjacent. The streets and highways are
dirty beyond comparison and filled with all
kinds of filth and garbage, and you can imag-
inc the depth, length and strength of the
odors that ascend under the rays of their
everyday July sun. They are poorly paved,
II at all, and on some OF the streets l saw
the wheels of trucks sink so deeply into the
mire as TO topple off part of the load on the
ground.
! The sewers are open ones, and the dirty,
. slim> currents line both sides close by the
sidewalks, on each side of the principal
streets. This Is IA very pleasant sItuatioI,
when one Is crowded ot the sidewalk, MS
was at the corner of st. Charles street, during
the parade of Proteas III the afternoon, ana
found myself ad-mtr-ing 1t standing ten
inches deep IN dirty water. When the streets
get too vile with fifth, the sewers are flushed
dHO tuib ID tucH apoioSy ioi
1t occurred To me that some OF the money
expended on the festivities OF the Mardi
Gras could be with excel ent results bestowed
upon the repairing of their streets and side
walks, and that it was small wonder that they
should be so terribly afflicted with yellow
fever.
The cars, both horse and railway, are poor
and wretched iii their accommodations,
oltentlmes without window glasses IN the
sashcs; the former drawn 10y "A single mule,
invariably driven by negro with much pro
family and lageiiatiou. AS an Illustration of
the miserable way they provide tor the com
fort of their patrons, L rode from New
Orleans TO Mobile OH the Louisville and
Nashville L. Il. While on the way, "a fearful
thunder storm arose, and the rain fell in
torrents. There was hardly pane of glass
IN the vcntilators III the top oil the railway
carriage, and the rain came into the car in
! sheets, SO that every passenger who had one
was compelled to spread ms umbrella and
watch in 'ghoulish glee" his less fortunate
neighbor III the seat ahead, with the water
from above trickling down the back of his
neck. | only managed, by dint OF crowding
and pushing, To keep dry Oh seat behind
, the stove on coal box.
The entry of Rex into the city on Tuesday
morning, the 22d, and his procession was
gorgeous in its splendor, and the parade of
Menus III the evening equally grand.
Ii is impossible To give an idea of the mag
nifcent trappings and wonderfully realistic
effect of these pictures from Hans Anderson s
, Fairy Land, SO dear to the hearts of the
young. The cost was enormous, upwards of
Sl0O,000; but 1 learned it was fully compen-
stated by the money lett III the city with the
hotel proprietors and tradesmen 10y the Wis
itors from all parts of the land.
: Jefferson Davis and his family were at the
: Hotel Royal during the festivities, and L saw
him several times on the street, on foot and
in his carriage, M the fantastic maskers and
merry makers skipped by him: L wondered
if the old gentleman recollected one notable
occasion when he too went rnasquerading
and was caught by some of the Paw Paw
boys, owing to the size of his feet.
And this suggests TO me something of the
political outlook there and the disposition of
the southern people az class to accept or
repudiate the results of the war. As a gen.
eral thing think the sentiment among the
more intelligent southerners is to abide by
its lesson and strive earnestly for the growth
and development of the new south forgetting
: the difficulties and the animosties engen-
Il n